Dec 15 - Psalm 23:4b

I will fear no evil:

for thou art with me

Psalm 23:4b

 

What do we fear? Ultimately it’s death.

 

We don’t like heights. Why? Because we might fall and die.

 

We don’t like spiders and snakes. Why? Because they might strike and we might die.

 

We fear evil for the same reason. John 10:10 reveals the goal of evil and of the evil one, saying, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

 

So what is the antidote to evil? Today’s verse reveals the secret to hope and life: “I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.”

 

A growing confidence in God’s abiding presence is the antidote to evil. John 10:10 in its entirety records Jesus as saying, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

 

Less fear equals growing abundance. Therefore, growing faith equals great life.”

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s learned to laugh at evil.

Why? Because what’s the worst it can do …

send me to heaven one day early!

 

 

 

Dec 13,14 - Psalm 23:4a

Yea, though I walk through

the valley of the shadow of death

Psalm 23:4a

 

All people walk through the valley of death just once.

 

But most of us will walk through the valley of the shadow of death again and again and again. Our parents die. Our friends die. Our spouse dies. Sometimes even our children die.

 

Life hurts.

 

And grief swallows.

 

Some people get mad at God when deaths occur. But we’re pointing the finger in the wrong direction. We need to point our finger at Satan. And we need to point the finger at ourselves. It was our rebelliousness that led us out of the Garden of Eden. Death is the inevitable consequence of sin.

 

God on the other hand promises to restore. He guarantees to make all things new. There will be a day when we are forgiven and healed. Resurrection is his trump card. Eternal life is the reward.

 

And it was a costly victory. God himself submitted to the very conditions that our sin has wrought. He came to this broken earth. He allowed us to nail him to the cross. In pain and grief and sorrow the Son of God walked through that valley of death.

 

Why? Because of love. And to all who choose his path of life, our loving Lord promises that death does not have the final word!

 

But in the meantime – and it often is a “mean time” – we are stuck walking again and again and again through this valley of shadow of death. And life hurts. And grief swallows. “But,” as the Apostle Paul says, “we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”

 

On this earth, we’ll keep walking through the valley of the shadow of death. But we don’t have to do it without hope!

 

We grieve for us who are left behind.

 

But we don’t grieve for the person who one moment was in the chains of earth and is their next moment opening their eyes to the glories of heaven.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s walked

through too many valleys

… but has discovered,

even in day, the trail to

eternal life and greater hope

 

 

Dec 12 - Psalm 23:3b

he leadeth me in

the paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Psalm 23:3b

 

The coach was late, so a nice dad took over the soccer scrimmage.

 

Soon one kid tripped another. “It’s a foul, sir,” said the first. “No, it’s not, sir.” The dad wasn’t sure, so he said, “Play on.”

 

The dad didn’t mark the field well and the ball careened to the edge. “It’s out-of-bounds, sir,” said the first. “No, it’s not, sir.” The dad wasn’t sure, so he said, “Play on.”

 

Two kids ran into each other. “It’s a foul on him, sir,” said the first. “No, it’s a foul on the other one.” The dad wasn’t sure, so he said, “Play on.”

 

Realizing that the dad wasn’t calling any fouls, the scrimmage erupted into chaos and bedlam. It was anything goes. It was injuries and tears and injustice.

 

But as soon as the coach arrived, he blew the whistle and order was restored.

 

In general, most humans don’t like rules and whistles. There’s this rebellious corner of our hearts that wants to do what we want to do when we want to do it. And yet deep down we know what the outcome would be if everyone was left to their own vices and devices. Chaos. Bedlam. We’d be worse than a field of twenty little soccer hooligans. There’d be a world full of injuries and injustices, chaos and bedlam, greater grief and unending tears.

 

And yet, in spite of our natural human rebelliousness – that’s our sin-nature, our “flesh” – there are some universal absolutes that have generally kept societies in check across the centuries and across various cultures and continents. Simple principles like: Don’t murder and don’t steal. Where do these come from? God answers that in Jeremiah 31:33, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts.”

 

Even for unbelievers, it’s more than just our consciences nagging us. We intuitively know right and wrong because we are made in God’s image … and we inevitably stray because of our fleshly sin-nature and our rebelliousness. Even literal saints cried out, “¹⁵ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁸ … nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. … ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” That’s Saint Paul in Romans 7.

 

His weakness – and wretchedness – comes from the flesh. But where does his desire to do better come from? God! The Lord has written his truths on every human heart.

 

We can ignore. We can pretend it’s not there. We can willfully act contrary to it. We can and do and will justify our actions when we’re violating our conscience.

 

Fortunately today’s verse offers us an alternative.. Our good shepherd leads us in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 

And our greatest hope and help is to allow ourselves to be led … rather than not.

 

In Christ’s Love,

an intentional follower

 

Dec 11 - Psalm 23:3a

He restoreth my soul

Psalm 23:3a

 

The word "restore" implies several things.

 

1.    Something is broken.

2.    Something is being mended.

 

In the Bible, "restore" means one more thing:

 

·         Someone has the power to mend, to heal, to make all things new.

 

When the weight of King David's greatest sin finally came crashing down upon him, he suddenly knew that only one "someone" had the power to mend, heal, and make new.

 

In Psalm 51, David cried, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. ... Put a new and right spirit within me. ... Restore to me the joy of your salvation."

 

If you want to be restored, it's a three step process:

 

1.    You must realize that something is broken. This is awareness. And we are never correctly and accurately aware of brokenness until we comprehend that it is sin that ultimately breaks everything and that we all sin and fall short of God’s glorious standard.

 

2.    Something needs to be mended. This is humbleness. The human condition makes us want to blame others for what is broken. Humbleness – the beginning of healing – occurs when begin to realize your part in the brokenness.

3.    Someone has the power to mend, to heal, to make all things new. This is 1) faith … and 2) confession. Faith is trust – it is trusting that God, will, and does heal. And confession is us intentionally removing whatever separates us from God. Faithful, honest confession is returning to the only one who has the power to heal. It is saying, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. ... Put a new and right spirit within me. ... Restore to me the joy of your salvation."

 

In Christ's Love,
a guy who always
needs mending

 

Dec 10 - Psalm 23:2b

he leadeth me

beside the still waters.

Psalm 23:2b

 

I saw a scary video just the other day. Eighteen hunting lions were trying to pull down a baby elephant. (Don’t worry. The baby elephant won!)

 

But here’s the question: In what part of the wilderness were those lions hunting?

 

Answer: Near the watering hole.

 

Why? Because that’s the easiest spot for predators to hunt. Since every animal needs water, all that predators have to do is hang out by the water hole and a revolving buffet will pass by several times a day.

 

In a matter of fact, water is life. In ancient imagery, water is also chaos.

 

In another video I watched recently a gazelle almost got her head bitten off by a crocodile! A ten-foot long behemoth leapt from the chaos of the murking water. Fortunately, gazelles leap higher.

 

But think about the danger of water. In Biblical times, few people knew how to swim. Therefore, while water was life, water was also death. Storms would batter ships. Waves were absolutely terrifying. Therefore, what this petition suggests is that God doesn’t just protect us from predators (which was yesterday’s theme), but God protects us from a more profound chaos – a frightening, drowning, overwhelming force that threatens to suck us to our grave.

 

“Still waters” implies that God wants to rescue us from that fear and death. Indeed, our Shepherd wants to enable us “to take hold of the life that really is life” (1 Tim 6:19).

 

So … water is a literal need. And God helps us fulfill our needs.

 

Still water is an added benefit because God wants to give us a peaceful blessing.

 

But life – eternal life – is the real goal.

 

Therefore, as the lost and thirsty woman said to Jesus, "Sir, … where do you get that living water? Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4:11-14).

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who wants to hunt

as passionately for living water

as lions hunt elephants and

crocodiles hunt gazelles

 

Dec 9 - Psalm 23:2a

He maketh me to lie down

in green pastures

Psalm 23:2a

 

Sheep don’t sleep laying down.

 

They can. But they usually don’t.

 

Why? Because sheep are skittish. They only lay down if they feel completely safe. Barns and fenced fields are pretty safe. The wilderness is not. And “the valley of the shadow of death” definitely is not. Therefore, sheep often sleep standing up. “With one eye open,” as the old saying goes.

 

This Psalm tells us, however, of the blessing of a good shepherd. Not only does he lead us to a green pasture that is good for grazing, but in his care, we feel so safe that we can lay down and close our eyes and truly rest.

 

What’s worrying you in your life right now?

 

Worry is a sign that we’re carrying this burden too much on our own. It’s time to hand it more fully over to the Good Shepherd. Indeed, as God-the-Son says, “Come to me all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

 

Rest. It’s time. Will you trust God enough to close your eyes, lie down, and truly rest?

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s writing this

in his pajamas.

Good rest is my good gift

from my Good Shepherd.

 

Dec 8 - Psalm 23:1b

I shall not want

Psalm 23:1b

 

I am Frankenstein.

 

It’s a startling confession. But like the infamous doctor from literature and cinema, I am responsible for creating a monster. Actually … three monsters.

 

Whenever we took our three little boys shopping, we would say, “If you are good, we’ll buy you a Matchbox car at the end of the day.” And our three little monsters learned quickly how to play the game.

 

Every parent has heard the cry, “I want.” Our family inadvertently put “wanting” on steroids. We made gifts an entitlement. And we have a tub-full of toy cars to prove it.

 

“I shall not want” is an attitude that every wise parent wishes they could engrain in their children. We try, indeed, to teach our children the difference between “selfish wants” and “legitimate needs.”

 

Ironically, though, the more we have, the more we often think we “deserve.” A pastor from Africa spoke to our children at church recently. He said children in his villages often have no more than one toy – and usually it’s one they made themselves. As a result, though, they don’t spend their days expecting more toys like my three little monsters. These little African children, often with little to eat, have learned the difference between selfish wants and legitimate needs.

 

Have we?

 

When we pray Psalm 23, I urge you to pray it as a confession and a reminder. “God, I confess that I am covetous. I want what I want and expect what I don’t really need. Help me, Lord. I resolve to define myself less by selfishness and wants, and I commit myself to trusting you. Provide me with only what I truly need … in your time. Amen.”

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who wants his heart

to translate this Psalm like the

New International Readers’ Version:

“The Lord is my shepherd.

He gives me everything I need.”

 

Dec 6,7 - Psalm 23:1a

The Lord is my shepherd

Psalm 23:1a

 

Psalm 23 is the most famous of all the Psalms. Each petition, therefore, deserves a quick glance.

 

So… what does the very first line tell us?

 

It's an analogy. Sheep were valuable and vulnerable, and God-our-protector (the shepherd) views us as valuable, even though we are generally weak and vulnerable. "Harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" is how the Son of God often viewed his people (see Mt 9:36).

 

Perhaps the best commentary on sheep and shepherds – and God’s care for us – is from Jesus' description of his own role in John 10 ...

 

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 ... and I lay down my life for the sheep.

How valuable are you in God's eyes? The Good Shepherd laid down his life for you.

 

And it’s not because you’re good enough to deserve it. No, “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Indeed, even if God had ninety-nine obedient sheep, he’d drop everything to go and search just for a wayward you (see Luke 15:4).

 

But to get to enjoy the fullest blessing of his grace, we need to claim the forgotten word in today's verse: "my."

 

Yes, God is indeed "a" shepherd. And that’s a nice (impersonal) truth. But when you claim that little word "my," you will discover the joy and freedom of a personal relationship with the King of Love.

 

In Christ's Love,

a thankful sheep who

loves “my” shepherd

 

The king of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul he leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home rejoicing brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no I'll
With thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

 

Dec 5 - Psalm 22:1a (2)

My God, my God!

Why have you

forsaken me?

Psalm 22:1

From the cross, Jesus cried out in anguish …

“Psalm 22!”

I mean that literally. His mouth might have said, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” but perhaps what he was saying was something much bigger than that.

As I understand it, there is an old Hebrew tradition that reveals something interesting about Jesus’ cry from the cross. Scholarly Jews – for example, a rabbi like Jesus – would know the Psalms by heart. And sometimes (especially if they were weak or sick), they would cry out just the first line of the Psalm and it would be assumed that they were praying and claiming every petition therein. 

For example, rather than reciting all six verses of Psalm 23, a weak and disheartened soul might simply cry, "the Lord is my Shepherd."

And what would that mean?

Well, from the midst of "the valley of the shadow of death," a faithful person would be reminding themselves to take courage because God's mighty hand was surely and safely shepherding them.

From the midst of their sickened condition, they would be comforted by the Lord’s promise of "green pastures," “still waters,” rest, peace, and provision.

Indeed, even though the fiery trials of their current situations, they would be reminding themselves to be confident because they would surely "dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

All that from one line – the Lord is my shepherd.

Therefore, when Jesus cried, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?”, he was not only reflecting his anguish as sin and death were crushing him on the cross … but he was crying so much more …

What else was Jesus crying when he shouted, “Psalm 22”?!

22 I will declare

the wonder of your name ...

24 for he has not ignored

the suffering of the needy. 

He has not turned and walked away.

He has listened to their cries for help. ...

And then think about the cross. Can’t you hear Jesus prophesying the fruit of his life-giving sacrifice …

27 [Then] the whole earth will

acknowledge the Lord

and return to him.

People from every nation

will bow down before him. ...

30 Future generations

will also serve him.

Our children will hear

about the wonders of the Lord. 

31 His righteous acts will

be told to those yet unborn.

They will hear about

everything he has done.

The cross was indeed an utterly God-forsaken moment. And yet Jesus, even in his pain, was celebrating the victory too.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who needs to remember

that even his most seemingly

God-forsaken moments

should end in praise

Tomorrow we'll focus on Jesus' literal

Dec 4 - Psalm 22:1a (1)

My God, my God!

Why have you

forsaken me?

Psalm 22:1

From the cross, Jesus cried out in anguish, “My God, my God!”

Indeed, he quoted and cried the opening words of this powerful Psalm.

Have you ever stopped to think about the God-forsaken anguish that Jesus must have felt in this moment?

When our Lord came down from heaven, he emptied himself (see Philippians 2:5-8). Totally. He took off his robes of light. Stripped himself of his divinity. And became fully human. 

He walked like us. Talked like us. Wet his diapers like us – which is part of the Christmas story. He was fully human.

Nevertheless and throughout his life, Jesus knew (and had only known) God's powerful, personal, and intimate presence. Why? Because the human Jesus fostered this connection. (Jesus’ life shows that for humans an intimate connection to God is available for all people, but only Jesus nurtured this relationship is such a powerful, personal, and intimate way.)

Jesus knew the Father … through the human activity of prayer. Furthermore, at his baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon him in power. (This indwelling presence in Jesus’ life prefigured the Pentecost gift of the Holy Spirit that would be available to all would follow the Son of God and believe in his name.)

The point is this: God was powerfully, personally, and intimately connected with Jesus and no human ever had experienced the closeness of God as Jesus did!

Therefore, with these words from the cross, we feel Jesus’ moment of agony God when God removed his presence from Jesus. It was necessary. The Savior came to understand, to die for, and to conquer all that life without God was like. And it must have felt like a vacuum in Jesus’ heart … a black hole which was collapsing in on itself. The weight of the entire world shrunk down to this moment in the heart of this man. And God allowing his Son to be crushed for our iniquities.

“My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me.”

Jesus may have come for this moment … he may have willingly undertaken this destiny … but nothing could have prepared him for having the weight of the world hung upon … along with the suffocating absence of God.

“My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me.”

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who cries with him today

Dec 3 - Psalm 21:12

For they will turn and run

when they see your arrows

aimed at them

Psalm 21:12

There are two ways to read this passage.

First, as this Psalm is clearly a song of victory, David is crediting God with making him king and helping his armies prevail. Therefore, he is confident that the enemy "will turn and run" when they see a successful human army have their "arrows aimed at them."

Yes, God might have been the author of Israel's success, but aren’t the arrows that the enemies "see" are human arrows?

That's one interpretation. And it’s certainly accurate in many degrees! Nevertheless, I want to suggest a second -- and deeper -- interpretation. And let me begin it with a story from 2 Kings 6 ...

The king of Aram was angered. Israel was always a step ahead of him in battle. Did he have a traitor in his midst, revealing his plans to the enemy? No, insisted his advisors. Rather, a prophet of God knew the future -- "9 immediately," it says, "Elisha, the man of God, would [know Aram's plans amd] warn the king of Israel."

Therefore, the angry Aramean king mounted a great army and set out to take down this one troublesome prophet.

Thus, early one morning the servant of Elisha awoke early to find an army at their door. Afraid, he turned to the prophet. "15 Ah, my lord, what will we do now?"

"16 Don't be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!"

I'm sure the servant looked at Elisha incredulously. "The old man's daft. It's me and him against a mighty army."

But "16 then Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!' The Lord opened his servant's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire."

When we believe in God, we are making a statement of faith. We are saying that we believe in two "worlds." There's the physical realm that we can see and the spiritual realm that we can't physically see. Scripture tells us that this spiritual realm is alive and active and that we are involved in a spiritual battle.

In Elisha's case, the army that was for him (though unseen) was greater than the army against him (even though the king of Aram's swords and chariots looked rightly formidable).

Could that be what David is really talking about? The earthly enemies of God's people might not ever have their eyes fully open and they might not literally see "your arrows aimed at them"; nevertheless, enemies knew that David somehow always "outnumbered" them, "out-gunned" them, or "out-strategized" them. They clearly sensed God's arrows and God's power aimed at them -- whether they literally saw it or not.

Our enemies may not literally "see [God's] arrows aimed at them." And yet God often makes his presence known. The earthly enemies of God may come up with worldly explanations for why their plans keep getting thwarted -- outmanned, out-gunned, out-maneuvered ... or simply unlucky. But maybe it's time for you to begin to claim -- and operate in confidence that -- "there are more on our side than on theirs!"

In Christ's Love,

a guy who may appear

to be standing by himself,

and yet I’m part of a great majority

Dec 2 - Psalm 20:7-8

Some nations boast of

their armies and weapons,

but we boast in the Lord our God.

Those nations will fall down and collapse,

but we will rise up and stand firm.

Psalm 20:7-8

"Boasting" is a bad word in today's vernacular. It's prideful. It tends to be excessive and self-focused. It's basically "talking trash."

But in a more old world sense, "boasting" is "expressing confidence in something." A runner may express confidence in his ability. A fan may express confidence in his team. A police officer may express confidence in his bullet-proof vest. And a soldier may express confidence in his king or country.

But today's Psalm reminds us that there's really only one true thing worth expressing ultimate confidence in. David says essentially, "we [should only] boast in the Lord our God."

As an athlete ages, his boasting fades. When a pass is dropped, the fan turns fickle. What if the criminal aims not at the bullet-proof vest, but the police officer's head? And even strong "armies and weapons [and] nations [occasionally] fall down and collapse, but" -- as the Psalm goes on to say -- [those who boast and trust in the Lord] will rise up and stand firm."

In Christ's Love

an appropriate boaster

Dec 1 - Psalm 20:1

In times of trouble, may

the Lord respond to your cry.

May the God of Israel keep

you safe from all harm.

Psalm 20:1

Benediction. 

It's a word that means: an utterance of good wishes, an expression of hoped for blessings. 

In a church, it is often the final words a pastor says before the congregation is sent forth into a world that is potentially dangerous. For example, the pastor might quote Numbers 6:24-26. "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious unto you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace."

Now, when a pastor says a benediction like this, is it merely an expression of well-wishes, like, "I hope you have a good week"? No. 

A Christian benediction reminds us of how God has already promised to be with us. It's claiming his promises as we march off to battle -- even if it seems like the biggest battle we'll undertake this week will be rush-hour traffic. 

Today's Psalm begins with a benediction -- a reminder of God's character and a claiming of God's promises to us. Let's hear Scriptures benediction over your days ...

·       "1 In times of trouble, may the LORD respond to your cry." God is the God who hears. Be reminded to cry out to him. 

·       "1 May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm." God is our protector. Venture forth boldly into your days. 

·       "2 May he send you help from his sanctuary." Sanctuary is not only the place where God is worshipped, but it's a place the implies peace. Thus, we are praying, "May the peace that God enjoys flow directly into the situation in which you need help."

·       "3 May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings." This could be a scary benediction to many: "May God be as faithful to you as you've been to him."

·       "4 May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans." God won't grant anything contrary to his plans. So what this petition is really saying is, "May your heart align with God's heart, may you desire what he desires, and may God bring to completion his plans." 

·       Indeed, in that way, we claim one more benediction: "5 May the Lord answer all your prayers."

After being reminded repeatedly of God's presence and power through these repeated benedictions, there's one more phrase in this Psalm that begins with "may." This one is our response to all the blessings God has poured on us ...

“5 May we shout for joy

when we hear of your victory,

flying banners to honor our God.”

In Christ's Love,

a guy who pronounces

this benediction:

May the Lord remind you

daily of his faithfulness

Nov 29,30 - Psalm 19:1-2

The heavens declare

the glory of God.

The skies display his

marvelous craftsmanship.

Day after day they

continue to speak

Psalm 19:1-2

There is a haunting question. I hear it pour forth from loving people all of the time: What about those who don't know God? What about those who don't believe in Jesus Christ? What will happen to them?

Their logic is this: I love these people. Doesn't God love them? Are you telling me he'll just cast them away?

No!

Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you love -- you who are a mix of godliness and sin -- don't you know that God loves these people a million times more. God is love. He's their Father. God the Son died for them. He casts no one away.

God, indeed, speaks to everyone. That's what today's verses are all about. They're saying that we can't not know God exists. "The heavens declare" his existence. "Day after day they continue to speak" to every person on earth.

We can't not know! That's the message of scripture. We can't not know ... unless we harden our hearts. Unless we are proud -- thinking our knowledge is above God's, thinking we're more loving and compassionate than the Father, thinking the world would be a better place if we were in charge.

We know ... unless we don't want to know. That's the consistent message of scripture. All we have to do is look at the vastness of the sky. That's what this Psalm says.

The Apostles put it like this -- Romans 1:19-24 --

For the truth about God

is known to them instinctively.

God has put this knowledge in their hearts.

From the time the world was created,

people have seen the earth and sky

and all that God made.

They can clearly see

his invisible qualities --

his eternal power and divine nature.

So they have no excuse whatsoever

for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God,

but they wouldn't worship him as God

or even give him thanks.

And they began to think up

foolish ideas of what God was like.

The result was that their minds

became dark and confused.

Claiming to be wise,

they became utter fools instead.

And instead of worshiping

the glorious, ever-living God,

they worshiped idols ...

So God let them go ahead

and do whatever shameful things

their hearts desired.

We can't not know. It's instinct. We have a God-shaped hole in our hearts. God himself put it there. "Day after day [God and his creation] continue to speak."

We can't not know ... unless we don't want to ... unless we are proud and choose not to listen ... unless we close our eyes and shut our hearts and walk away.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who hates the inevitable downside

of a human invention -- light pollution.

Because have you ever stood

in a truly dark place -- like northern Canada –

and seen the Milky Way so thick

that its more real than the clouds in the sky,

and the stars number in the millions

and not just the dozens?

"The heavens [truly do] declare

the glory of God"